Drogba set to miss Moscow trip

Chelsea coach Carlo Ancelotti has all but ruled striker Didier Drogba out of their Champions League tie with Spartak Moscow on Tuesday night.

The striker was suspended for Chelsea's opening two games of the current campaign, a 4-1 victory over MSK Zilina and a 2-0 home win over Marseille, and was due to return against Spartak but a fever has prevented the prolific marksman from training all week and Ancelotti now believes he is unlikely to even travel with the squad to Moscow.

"I don't think he will be able to play on Tuesday because he hasn't trained this week, and he needs to train," said Ancelotti. "He will be here at Cobham. He'll have to recover from the illness. We can cope because we will have a fit Salomon Kalou over there."

Kalou will return after a thigh problem as Chelsea look to take a stranglehold on Group F.

"Kalou will be available for the Champions League and (Daniel) Sturridge needs days of recovery," Ancelotti added.

Spartak have also enjoyed a fine start to the campaign with maximum points from two games.

They began by winning at Marseille, a late own goal by defender Cesar Azpilicueta giving the Russian side their first win on French soil at the 11th attempt.

Two weeks later they continued MSK Zilina's woes with a 3-0 triumph - their first group stage win at the Luzhniki since a 4-1 defeat of Arsenal in November 2000.

Defender Alex, sidelined with a thigh injury is unlikely to be fit, but Ancelotti will be able to call upon striker Sturridge and there is an outside chance England midfielder Frank Lampard could be fit enough to travel.

Lampard has been sidelined in recent weeks with a groin strain he sustained following a hernia operation.

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